Kings Island is a 364-acre (147 ha) amusement park 24 miles (39 km) northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio, United States.

It was part of a larger effort to move and expand Coney Island, a popular resort destination along the banks of the Ohio River that was prone to frequent flooding.

The park has also experienced a number of setbacks generating negative publicity, including the early demise of The Bat and Son of Beast roller coasters, both of which were problematic rides.

Kings Island is divided into nine themed sections and operates seasonally from early spring through Labor Day in the fall, followed by two additional holiday-themed events known as Halloween Haunt and Winterfest.

In addition, Kings Island has won Golden Ticket Awards in the annual publication from Amusement Today, including "Best Kids' Area" in the world for eighteen consecutive years (2001–2018) and "Best New Ride" in 2017 for Mystic Timbers.

[5] It wasn't taken seriously until 1968 when actor Fess Parker announced plans to build a theme park in Northern Kentucky – well within Coney Island's primary market that extended as far south as Louisville.

[16] The following year, Evel Knievel successfully jumped fourteen Greyhound buses on his Harley Davidson at Kings Island, clearing a distance of 133 feet (41 m).

[17][18] It was the longest successful jump of his career as well as his last major stunt,[17] and the nationally televised event was broadcast live on ABC, landing 52 percent of the TV audience during that hour with an estimated 55 million viewers.

[21] The park also pushed forward with its next major addition, King Cobra, which opened in 1984 as the first of its kind to be designed from inception as a stand-up roller coaster.

[38][39] CBS CEO Leslie Moonves stated that despite the health and profitability of Paramount Parks, the business was "one that just doesn't fit our core strategy".

[40] The acquisition of Kings Island gave Cedar Fair, who had recently acquired Geauga Lake from Six Flags in 2004, ownership of all three major amusement parks in Ohio.

[46] Nickelodeon's presence remained until the 2010 season, when Cedar Fair began incorporating its Peanuts theme throughout the park, primarily in the children's area.

[48] The proposed tax hike was the center of debate for several months, as Kings Island actively encouraged the public to write, email, and call Mason City Council representatives to express opposition.

[59] Action Zone opened in 1974 as Lion Country Safari, a 100-acre (40 ha) section of the park featuring a monorail ride that took guests on a safari-style tour through an animal preservation.

[32][64][65] Early in its tenure after purchasing Kings Island, Paramount unveiled Top Gun, a suspended roller coaster from Arrow Dynamics, in 1993.

[69][70] In 2023, Kings Island opened a newly themed area called Adventure Port, which introduced family rides Sol Spin and Cargo Loco.

The area was constructed to resemble the former park's carnival-style layout and featured many of its flat rides which were relocated, including Monster, Scrambler, and Dodgem.

[87][88][89][90] The area also features game booths, arcades, and concession stands in the style of state fairs and traveling carnivals from the early twentieth century.

[86] Brokered by Intamin and manufactured by Waagner-Biro, the three-minute ride featured twelve gondolas on each of the two wheels, which were mounted to a long, hydraulic arm.

[96][97] Following Paramount's acquisition of the park in 1992, Coney Mall was further expanded in 1994 with the addition of Days of Thunder, a NASCAR-themed motion simulator ride based on the 1990 film of the same name.

[86] The ride was housed within Action Theater located near The Racer's turnaround,[86] and it was later updated with different shows based on James Bond, SpongeBob, and other themes before its closure in 2013.

[116] Enchanted Voyage, an Old Mill dark ride that ferried guests in unaccompanied boats along water-filled guideways, was also a primary attraction that opened with the park.

[117] The area's main attractions include the Royal Fountain, a 600,000-US-gallon pool (2,300 m3) capable of shooting 10,000 US gallons (38 m3) of water into the air each minute,[119] and the signature Eiffel Tower, a one-third scale replica of the original which offers a view of the entire park to its guests.

One of the area's flagship attractions was a junior wooden roller coaster named Scooby Doo, which like The Racer was designed by John C. Allen but intended for younger riders.

[134] The area included attractions such as Kings Mill Log Flume and Shawnee Landing, a canoe ride in a part of Rivertown known as Kenton's Cove.

[12][116] Throughout the 1970s, Rivertown saw the addition of several attractions including Kenton's Cove Keelboat Canal in 1973, which was an elevated log flume ride that operated through the 2000 season, and The Beast roller coaster in 1979.

[151][152][153] Winterfest is an annual Christmas-themed holiday festival that operates from mid-November through late December, featuring ice skating on the Royal Fountain as well as the special lighting throughout the park.

Some rides and attractions are in operation, and International Street is transformed into a winter village filled with Christmas carolers, homemade crafts, and holiday-themed refreshments and snacks.

They planned several years in advance to increase the scale of the event, which showcases over 5 million color-changing lights and dozens of live performances each night.

[154][155] Fast Lane, introduced at Kings Island in July 2011, is a secondary queue system that offers shorter wait times on the park's most popular rides.